December 30
Events *1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield *1816 - The Treaty of St. Louis is proclaimed. *1853 - Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest. * 1853 - A dinner party is held inside a life-size model of an Iguanodon created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and Sir Richard Owen in south London. *1862 - USS Monitor sinks off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. *1879 - The Pirates of Penzance is first performed (Paignton, Devon, England). *1880 - The Transvaal becomes a republic and Paul Kruger, its first president. *1896 - José Rizal was executed by firing squad in Manila. *1897 - Natal annexes Zululand. *1903 - A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois kills 600. *1905 - Former Governor Frank Steunenberg is assassinated near his home in Caldwell, Idaho. *1906 - The All India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India Empire, which later laid down the foundations of Pakistan. *1919 - Lincoln's Inn in London admits its first female bar student. *1922 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is formed. *1924 - Edwin Hubble announces the existence of other galaxies. *1927 - The Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opens in Tokyo. *1936 - The United Auto Workers union stages its first sit-down strike. *1940 - California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway. *1943 - Subhash Chandra Bose raises the flag of Indian independence at Port Blair. *1944 - King George II of Greece declares a regency, leaving his throne vacant. *1947 - King Michael of Romania forced to abdicate by the Soviet-backed Communist government of Romania. *1953 - Television Technology: The first ever NTSC color television sets go on sale for about USD at $1,175 each from RCA. *1965 - Ferdinand Marcos becomes President of the Philippines. *1972 - Vietnam War: The US halts heavy bombing of North Vietnam. *1977 - Ted Bundy escapes from his cell in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. *1981 - Wayne Gretzky scores his 50th goal in 39 games, still a National Hockey League record. *1993 - Israel and the Vatican establish diplomatic relations. *1995 - The lowest ever UK temperature of -27.2°C was recorded at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands. This equalled the record set at Braemar, Aberdeenshire on February 11, 1895 and January 10, 1982. *1996 - In the Indian state of Assam, a passenger train is bombed by Bodo separatists, killing 26. * 1996 - Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers who shut down services across Israel. *1997 - In the worst incident in Algeria's insurgency, the Wilaya of Relizane massacres, 400 people are killed from four villages. *2000 - Rizal Day Bombings: A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines within a span of a few hours, killing 22 and injuring about a hundred. * 2003 - U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft recuses himself and his office from the Plame affair. *2004 - A fire in the República Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina kills 194. *2005 - Tropical Storm Zeta forms in the open Atlantic, tying the record for the latest tropical cyclone ever to form in the North Atlantic basin. *2006 - Madrid Barajas International Airport is bombed. * 2006 - Saddam Hussein is executed by hanging. Births * 39 - Roman Emperor Titus (d. 81) *1204 - Abû 'Uthmân Sa'îd Hakam al Qurashi, ruler of Minorca (d. 1282) *1552 - Simon Forman, English occultist and astrologer (d. 1611) *1642 - Vicenzo da Filicaja, Italian poet (d. 1707) *1673 - Ahmed III, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1736) *1678 - William Croft, English composer (d. 1727) *1722 - Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain (d. 1770) *1724 - Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée, French painter (d. 1805) *1740 - Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales (d. 1759) *1785 - Dorothea Lieven, Russian noblewoman (d. 1857) *1819 - Theodor Fontane, German writer (d. 1898) *1838 - Émile Loubet, 7th President of France (d.1929) *1851 - Asa Griggs Candler, American businessman and politician (d. 1929) *1853 - André Messager, French composer (d. 1929) *1865 - Rudyard Kipling, British writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1936) *1869 - Stephen Butler Leacock, British-born, Canadian writer and economist (d. 1944) *1873 - Al Smith, American politician (d. 1944) *1878 - William Aberhart, Canadian politician (d. 1943) *1879 - Sri Ramana Maharshi, Indian philosopher (d. 1950) *1883 - Lester Patrick, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1960) *1884 - Hideki Tojo, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1948) *1890 - Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, President of Mexico (d. 1973) *1897 - Alfredo Bracchi, Italian author (d. 1976) *1899 - Helge Ingstad, Norwegian explorer (d. 2001) *1904 - Dmitri Kabalevsky, Russian composer (d. 1987) *1906 - Carol Reed, English film director (d. 1976) *1910 - Paul Bowles, American composer and author (d. 1999) *1911 - Jeanette Nolan, American actress (d. 1998) *1913 - Elyne Mitchell, Australian author (d. 2002) * 1913 - Lucio Agostini, Italian-born Canadian conductor and composer (d. 1996) *1914 - Bert Parks, American television host (d. 1992) * 1914 - Jo Van Fleet, American actress (d. 1996) *1917 - Seymour Melman, American industrial engineer (d. 2004) *1920 - Jack Lord, American actor (d. 1998) *1921 - Rashid Karami, Lebanese statesman (d. 1987) *1927 - Bernard Barrow, American actor (d. 1993) *1928 - Bo Diddley, American singer and musician *1929 - Barbara Nichols, American actress (d. 1976) *1931 - Skeeter Davis, American singer (d. 2004) *1934 - John Norris Bahcall, American physicist (d. 2005) * 1934 - Joseph Bologna, American actor * 1934 - Joseph P. Hoar, American general * 1934 - Del Shannon, American singer (d. 1990) * 1934 - Russ Tamblyn, American actor, dancer, and singer *1935 - Omar Bongo, President of Gabon * 1935 - Sandy Koufax, American baseball player * 1935 - Jack Riley, American actor *1937 - Gordon Banks, English footballer and World Cup winner * 1937 - John Hartford, American musician (d. 2001) * 1937 - Jim Marshall, American football player * 1937 - Noel Paul Stookey, American folk singer (Peter) *1940 - James Burrows, American television director *1941 - Mel Renfro, American football player *1942 - Vladimir Bukovsky, Russian author and dissident * 1942 - Michael Nesmith, American singer and musician (The Monkees) * 1942 - Janko Prunk, Slovenian historian * 1942 - Fred Ward, American actor * 1942 - Guy Edwards, British racing driver *1945 - Davy Jones, English singer (The Monkees) * 1945 - Concetta Tomei, American actress * 1945 - Vernon Wells, Australian actor *1946 - Patti Smith, American singer *1947 - Michael Burns, American historian * 1947 - Jeff Lynne, English musician (ELO) *1949 - Jim Flaherty, Canadian politician *1950 - Lewis Shiner, American sci-fi/fantasy author *1951 - Doug Allder, English footballer *1952 - June Anderson, American soprano *1953 - Bill Kazmaier, American powerlifter * 1953 - Harald Schmautz, German-born journalist * 1953 - Meredith Vieira, American television journalist *1955 - Dindo Yogo, Congolese musician (d. 2000) *1956 - Suzy Bogguss, American singer * 1956 - Sheryl Lee Ralph, American actress *1957 - Matt Lauer, American newscaster *1958 - Rod Harrington, English darts player * 1958 - Steven L. Smith, American astronaut *1959 - Tracey Ullman, English actress and singer *1961 - Douglas Coupland, Canadian author * 1961 - Sean Hannity, American talk radio host * 1961 - Ben Johnson, Canadian athlete *1962 - Henry Cho, Korean-American comedian *1963 - Chandler Burr, American author * 1963 - Michelle Douglas, Canadian human rights activist * 1963 - Milan Šrejber, Czech tennis player *1964 - Sylvie Moreau, Quebec television and film actress * 1964 - Duglas T. Stewart, Scottish musician (BMX Bandits) *1965 - Heidi Fleiss, American madam *1967 - Carl Ouellet, Canadian professional wrestler *1969 - Dave England, American television personality * 1969 - Jay Kay, English musician (Jamiroquai) *1971 - Daniel Sunjata, American actor * 1971 - Rahul Dravid, Indian cricket captain *1972 - Kerry Collins, American football player * 1972 - Paul Keegan, Irish footballer * 1972 - Steven Wiig, American actor and musician *1973 - Jason Behr, American actor * 1973 - Ato Boldon, Trinidadian athlete * 1973 - Nacho Vidal, Spanish porn star *1974 - Johanna Sällström, Swedish actress (d. 2007) *1975 - Scott Chipperfield, Australian soccer player * 1975 - Tiger Woods, American golfer *1976 - Meredith Monroe, American actress * 1976 - Alex A. Quinn, American actor * 1976 - A.J. Pierzynski, American baseball player *1977 - Kenyon Martin, American basketball player * 1977 - Scott Lucas, Australian rules footballer * 1977 - Laila Ali, American boxer * 1977 - Grant Balfour, Australian baseball player *1978 - Tyrese, American singer and actor * 1978 - Zbigniew Robert Promiński, Polish drummer *1979 - Flávio Amado, Angolan footballer *1980 - Eliza Dushku, American actress * 1980 - Kenny Kwan, Hong Kong singer *1981 - Ali Al Habsi, Omani footballer * 1981 - Michael Rodríguez, Costa Rican footballer * 1981 - Haley Paige, American pornstar *1982 - Kristin Kreuk, Canadian actress * 1982 - Dathan Ritzenhein, American runner *1984 - LeBron James, American basketball player * 1984 - Randall Azofeifa, Costa Rican footballer *1985 - Lars Boom, Dutch cyclist *1989 - Ryan Sheckler, American professional skateboarder Deaths *1218 - Richard de Clare, English politician (b. 1162) *1460 - Richard, claimant to the English throne (killed in battle) (b. 1411) *1525 - Jacob Fugger, German banker (b. 1459) *1572 - Galeazzo Alessi, Italian architect (b. 1512) *1573 - Giovanni Battista Giraldi, Italian writer (b. 1504) *1591 - Pope Innocent IX (b. 1519) *1621 - Saint Job of Maniava, Ukrainian Orthodox Saint (b. 1550) *1640 - John Francis Regis, French saint (b. 1597) *1644 - Jan Baptist van Helmont, Flemish chemist (b. 1577) *1662 - Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria (b. 1628) *1691 - Robert Boyle, Irish scientist (b. 1627) *1769 - Nicholas Taaffe, Austrian soldier (b. 1685) *1803 - Francis Lewis, signer of the American Declaration of Independence (b. 1713) *1896 - José Rizal, national hero of the Philippines (b. 1861) (executed) *1908 - Thomas-Alfred Bernier, Canadian lawyer, journalist and senator (b. 1844) *1941 - El Lissitzky, Russian artist and architect (b. 1890) *1944 - Romain Rolland, French writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1866) *1954 - Archduke Eugen of Austria, Austrian field marshal (b. 1863) *1955 - Rex Ingamells, Australian poet (b. 1913) *1967 - Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1887) *1968 - Trygve Lie, Norwegian politician, first United Nations Secretary General (b. 1896) *1970 - Sonny Liston, American boxer (b. 1932) *1971 - Melba Rae, American actress (Search for Tomorrow) (b. 1922) *1979 - Richard Rodgers, American composer (b. 1902) *1981 - Alfie Anido, Filipino actor (b. 1959) *1984 - Massa, oldest gorilla on record (b. 1930) *1986 - Era Bell Thompson, American journalist (b. 1905) *1988 - Yuli Daniel, Russian writer (b. 1925) *1989 - Lenore Lemmon, wife of George Reeves (b. 1923) *1992 - Ling-Ling, panda given to the USA by China (b. 1969) *1993 - Mack David, American lyricist and songwriter (b. 1912) * 1993 - Irving "Swifty" Lazar, American Hollywood talent agent (b. 1907) * 1993 - Giuseppe Occhialini, Italian physicist (b. 1907) *1994 - Dmitri Ivanenko, Russian physicist (b. 1904) * 1994 - Maureen Starkey, wife of Ringo Starr (b. 1946) *1995 - Doris Grau, American actress (b. 1924) *1996 - Lew Ayres, American actor (b. 1908) * 1996 - Jack Nance, American actor (b. 1943) *1997 - Shinichi Hoshi, Japanese novelist (b. 1926) *1998 - George Webb, English actor (b. 1911) * 1998 - Johnny Moore, American singer (The Drifters) (b. 1934) *1999 - Fritz Leonhardt, German structural engineer (b. 1909) * 1999 - Sarah Knauss, American, once considered the world's oldest living person (b. 1880) *2000 - Julius J. Epstein, American screenwriter (b. 1909) *2002 - Mary Brian, American actress (b. 1906) * 2002 - Mary Wesley, English novelist (b. 1912) *2003 - David Bale, South African-born activist (cancer) (b. 1941) * 2003 - John Gregory Dunne, American writer (b. 1932) * 2003 - Anita Mui, Hong Kong singer and actress (b. 1963) *2004 - Artie Shaw, American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader (b. 1910) *2005 - Rona Jaffe, American author (b. 1932) *2006 - Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President (b. 1937) (executed) *2006 - Terry Peck, Falkland Islander (b. 1938) who acted as a scout for 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in the Falklands War Holidays and observances *The fifth day of Christmas in Western Christianity. *R.C. Saints - Pope Felix I (optional memorial), Saint Sabinus *Philippines - Rizal Day *Freedom Day for Scientologists. External links * BBC: On This Day * * On This Day in Canada ---- Category:December